Ming Campbell » PMQs

Campbell makes Blair take the blame for BAE

Web Team — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 16:44:47 +0000

Liberal Democrat Leader Ming Campbell today challenged Tony Blair at Prime Minister’s Questions to name the minister responsible for withholding information from the OECD.

Mr Blair replied: “If you want to blame anyone for this, blame me. I am perfectly happy to take responsibility for it.”

Ming followed up by asking: “Whatever happened to Robin Cook’s ethical foreign policy?”

The Guardian reports:

Sir Menzies has taken a leading role in criticising the government’s attempts to block scrutiny of the deal.

Yesterday he said: “We need a full investigation to determine whether the Ministry of Defence has been directly involved in processing payments to Prince Bandar.

Campbell calls for G8 action on Darfur

Web Team — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 16:29:00 +0000

At Prime Minister’s Question Time today, Liberal Democrat Leader Ming Campbell asked Tony Blair about the conflict in Darfur, which Ming said had led to the deaths of 200,000 people and displaced 2 million from their homes. He asked: “What can the people of Darfur expect from the G8 summit?”

The Prime Minister promised he would be pressing the G8 to “renew commitment to sanctions” on Darfur and to put pressure on the Sudanese government to stick to the terms of a peace deal. Responding, Ming called for an arms embargo and more logistical support for the African Union peace keeping force, in addition to tougher sanctions against the Sudanese government. This came as President Bush stated that the US might support the enforcement of a no-fly zone over Darfur to help put an end to the fighting there.

The United States and Britain have both threatened Sudan’s government with tougher UN sanctions if Khartoum does not support international efforts to end the conflict in Darfur.

Labour disregarding concerns over nuclear power

Web Team — Wed, 23 May 2007 22:43:13 +0000

At Prime Minister’s questions today, Liberal Democrat Leader Ming Campbell attacked Tony Blair for disregarding concerns about risk, cost and toxic waste in relation to nuclear power.

He said that the Government should instead invest in wave, wind and tidal power and clean coal technology, which would give Britain a secure non-nuclear future.

He asked:

“Can the Prime Minister explain why in his manifestos of 1997, 2001 and 2005 he did not seek a mandate for a renewed generation of nuclear power stations. Why is he so hell-bent on nuclear power now?

“Why is it that the Prime Minister is so committed to the idea of nuclear power in a way which suggests he disregards the issue of risk and cost and toxic waste. Where is the investment in wave, wind and tidal power and clean coal technology that would give us a secure non-nuclear future?”

“Vulnerable should not pay for mistakes of powerful”

Web Team — Wed, 09 May 2007 16:22:33 +0000

Raising the issue of chaos in the tax credit system, Liberal Democrat Leader Menzies Campbell asked the Prime Minister today why the Government had failed to implement the recommendations put forward by the parliamentary ombudsman in June 2005 and why, in the meantime, it has been chasing thousands of poor families through the court system.

He asked:

“Two years ago the ombudsman published a report on the tax credit scheme. Why haven’t the recommendations of that report been fully implemented?”

Liberal Democrat research shows that in the last year 38,000 of the poorest families were pursued through the courts by the Treasury.

Menzies Campbell said:

“Why is it some of the poorest families in this country are being pursued through the courts for money they simply don’t have – 38,000 alone last year.

“Why should the most vulnerable pay for the mistakes of the most powerful?”

Blair rushing into Trident decision

Web Team — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 17:11:39 +0000

Speaking at today’s Prime Minister’s Questions Menzies Campbell called Tony Blair’s decision to renew the Trident nuclear weapon system “hasty”. The Liberal Democrats would cut Britain’s nuclear arsenal by half and kick-start disarmament talks.

Menzies Campbell asked:

Does the Prime Minister accept that the most immediate nuclear threat is from other countries acquiring nuclear weapons? What then is going to be the role played by his government at the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Review Conference in 2010?

Menzies Campbell went on to say:

We surely accept that a hasty decision to replace Trident is bound to undermine our ability to have influence at the conference in 2010 and shouldn’t we not now be offering to reduce the number of warheads on Trident in order to give a lead to others?

The Government has failed to protect the rights of British citizens (video)

Webteam — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 18:55:20 +0000

Ming Campbell discusses his concerns with the unfair US/UK extradition treaty, as raised with (but not addressed by) the Prime Minister at Question Time on Wednesday.

Iraq: Change the strategy or else get out

Webteam — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 13:37:07 +0000

At Prime Minster’s Questions today, Ming Campbell MP pressed Mr Blair on his strategy on Iraq.

The United Nations calculates that there are 3,000 Iraqi civilians being killed every month. In those circumstances, how can the Prime Minister maintain that our presence is not exacerbating the present security situation?

The Government’s strategy has failed. And in those circumstances, the choice is stark. Change the strategy or else get out.

Liberal Democrat proposals for a new strategy for Iraq are available at on the Liberal Democrat website.

Campbell presses Blair over ‘unfair’ US extradition treaty

Webteam — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 14:57:33 +0000

At Prime Minister’s Questions today, Liberal Democrat Leader, Ming Campbell MP called for reciprocity in the extradition treaty between Britain and the United States, asking whether the Prime Minister felt it was fair that British citizens can be extradited to the United States without a prima facie case and under a treaty the United States declines to ratify.

The Prime Minister said he understood the concerns of the families involved, but claimed it was not true that United States has been given preferential treatment.

Although the Prime Minister denies that ‘arrangements in respect of evidence are not reciprocal’ different rules have applied as between the US and UK since the coming into force of a Government Order on 1 January 2004. If the UK requests the extradition of an individual from the US, the request must be supported by additional evidence that would justify his committal for trial if the offence had been committed in the US. There is no such requirement for extradition the other way round.

A full transcript of today’s exchange is below:

Ming Campbell:

May I associate myself and my Honourable and Right Honourable Friends with the expressions of condolence and sympathy from both the Prime Minister and the leader of the opposition just moments ago. On the 1st March, the Prime Minister told me that he did not believe that the arrangements for the extradition of United Kingdom citizens to the United States were unfair.

Does he still believe that?

Prime Minister:

I do believe they’re not unfair for the reason I can give him. Although I totally understand the concern of the individuals who are to be extradited, and their families, as to what may happen in terms of bail particularly when they get to the United States. I will say something more about that in a moment. But what is important to realise is that the changes that we made a few years ago are changes that ended what was a situation where the United States was uniquely, to its detriment, not given the same arrangements as other countries. The purpose of the change was actually … If you want to listen to the facts, the purpose of the change was to bring the United States into line with not merely European countries, but countries like Australia, New Zealand and Canada, that was the purpose of the change. I totally understand the concern about bail arrangements and other things.

Ming Campbell:

One can’t help observe what about the principle of reciprocity.
What could be more unfair than for a British citizen to be extradited to the United States without a prima facie case and under a treaty which the United States declines to ratify? Will the Prime Minister act to bring an end to this practice?

Prime Minister:

If I can again deal with the issue of the reciprocal arrangements, it isn’t actually true that the United States has a different evidential burden from this country. The probable cause which is the burden that the United States places on countries who want to extradite from the United States is actually analogous to what we now provide under the extradition act. It’s not correct to say that the United States has been given preferential treatment or the arrangements in respect of evidence are not reciprocal.

However I understand the real concern that the families will have as to what happens when they go to the United States and I have asked our officials to look and see whether there is support or assurances we can give so if they’re extradited they are actually given the opportunity to be bailed.

Urgent action needed in the Middle East

Webteam — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 18:40:17 +0000

At Prime Minister’s Questions today, Liberal Democrat Leader, Ming Campbell MP called for immediate action to avert a tragedy in the Middle East:

A full transcript of today’s exchange is below:

Ming Campbell:

May I begin Mr speaker by associating my Honourable and Right Honourable Friends with the expressions of condolence and sympathy, which we have just heard from the Prime Minister. Given the urgency of the hostage crisis and the significance of the role of the United States in the Middle East, has the Prime Minister discussed the present situation with the President of the United States?

Prime Minister:

We discuss the issue to do with the Middle East and Israel and Palestine every time I speak to the President and I haven’t spoken to him in the last 24 hours or so, but this is a major part of any conversation we have, because it is extremely important. We believe, both of us believe, to make sure that we restart a peace process there, which is the only way to stop events like the terrible events of the last 24 hours and in the end what is necessary obviously is to make sure that peace and calm is restored so there is some possibility of getting negotiation going.

Ming Campbell:

The Prime Minister will agree that this is a particularly crucial moment. What joint actions will the President and the Prime Minister take in order to capitalise on the apparent willingness of Hamas to accept a negotiated settlement and a two state solution?

It would be a tragedy if that possibility of progress were derailed by the hostage crisis.

Prime Minister:

I mean, I think I understand what the right honourable gentleman is saying, but of course if Hamas is prepared to commit itself to a two-state solution, and to negotiate a settlement, that necessarily must mean that they are committed to the existence of Israel and to the renunciation of violence rather than negotiation as a way of achieving that settlement.

And the point is, if they would be clear on those issues, if in fact they would be prepared to return to the road map, which used to be the thing that he and his Honourable Members asked me to endorse and carry forward, and I still want to, if they were prepared to do that, then I can assure him, not just on my own behalf, but on behalf of the President as well. America, the quartet, would be willing to take this process forward as swiftly as possible, but we need to know if a two state solution is what we are negotiating, that both sides to that negotiation, are committed to the existence of the other state.

Campbell confronts Blair on rendition

Webteam — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 13:48:00 +0000

At Prime Minister’s Question Time today, Ming Campbell MP questioned the Prime Minister over his Government’s position on US President George W. Bush’s policy of rendition and secret detention.

Ming Campbell asked:

Can he confirm that the United Kingdom has given no logistical support for rendition to the CIA, nor provided any information to be used in torture?

Mr Blair replied:

We have said absolutely all we have to say on this. There is nothing more to add to it. I have to say the Council of Europe report adds absolutely nothing new whatever to the information we have.

Ming Campbell continued:

I think the Prime Minister might find careful reading of the Council of Europe report particularly rewarding, because the Council of Europe report says that rendition involves disappearances. It involves secret detention. It involves unlawful transfers to countries that practice torture.
On 7th December the Prime Minister told the House that he fully endorsed rendition. Does he still do so now?

In response, Mr Blair said:

I think what I actually said was that rendition had been the policy of the American Government for a long period of time, including under the last administration as well as this administration. We have kept Parliament informed of all the requests we are aware of, four in 1998; two of which were granted, two declined. As for the rest of the Council of Europe report, it concerns other countries, and obviously I’m not in a position to speak about them.